Moor DEA picked for modernising public services pilot scheme

The Moor DEA (District Electoral Area) of Derry City and Strabane District Council is one of three across the North chosen to pilot a Civil Service programme aimed at modernising public services.

Details of the Programme were outlined in ‘The Moor Investment Prospectus’ report, presented to Council’s Governance and Strategic Planning committee on Tuesday by The Executive Office’s (TEO) Collaboration Test and Learn lead, Janet Johnston.

The Collaboration Test and Learn Programme aims to “foster innovation, cross-departmental teamwork and evidence-based policy”.

It will achieve this “through agile, experimental approaches, moving from traditional ‘top-down’ methods to testing ideas directly with communities and frontline staff to find what truly works”.

The Programme emphasises flexible delivery, data-driven learning cycles, including 45-day action cycles, and collaborative design “with citizens and partners aiming to build a more responsive, skilled, and efficient Civil Service”.

Similar pilot projects will take place in North Belfast, and Clogher Valley DEA in Mid Ulster District Council.

The ‘The Moor Investment Prospectus’ revealed Triax Ltd had been appointed the Community Anchor Organisation in the area and “as part of The Moor DEA NCIS Collaboration Test and Learn Pilot, it aims to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy that addresses the various needs of the community by involving multiple sectors”.

As part of this, Triax Ltd has commissioned Enterprise North West to deliver a neighbourhood action plan for The Moor DEA, in partnership with local community and voluntary organisations.

According to ‘The Moor Investment Prospectus’ the objectives of the assignment and Moor Neighbourhood Plan will be to “identify the key needs and priorities of the Moor DEA neighbourhood, and to engage various stakeholders including residents, community organisations, local businesses and governmental bodies”.

They will also be “to develop a strategic plan that leverages resources across different sectors to address identified needs; complete pilot area mapping activity; demonstrating collaboration with good relations and shared space approaches with all stakeholders to create positive synergies that better encourage strong and thriving relationships between community and department”.

‘The Moor Investment Prospectus’ described itself as “fluid” and “intended for local residents, businesses, and partners (funding and non-funding) in the public, private, and community and voluntary sector who have interests and responsibilities for the well-being and socio-economic sustainability of the Moor DEA in all its aspects over the coming years”.

It added: “This investment prospectus is a developing programme, designed to deliver long term impact. Accordingly, this document sets out the current situation, vision, progress to date and priorities.

“The Moor DEA NICS Collaboration Test and Learn Thematic Groups will continue to refine its case for intervention and shape its agenda to align with on-the-ground priorities in the area, as well as with relevant existing and emerging policies.

“Recognising that important elements are still under development, the prospectus flags areas throughout the text requiring further work. As a result of the local design process the outcomes will be consulted on, agreed and aligned to the three statutory pillars of well-being of: economic well-being; social well-being; and environmental well-being.

“The outcomes will be developed and refined to closely align to those of the Derry City and Strabane District Council Inclusive Strategic Growth Plan, Moor Community Plan, Proud Creggan and the Derry City and Strabane District Council Pathways Out of Poverty: Anti-Poverty Plan,” said ‘The Moor Investment Prospectus’.

To date, through The Moor DEA NICS Collaboration Test and Learn Programme, Department for Communities (DfC) and TEO have allocated resources to support individual pilot programmes to design their plans and priorities.

It is now requesting “other NI Government departments and Derry City and Strabane District Council build on this approach and help reinforce the overarching Strategic Partnership between Community Anchor Organisations and Government to push the boundaries of place-based working and help us develop innovative cross-cutting solutions, with a mandate from Ministers to work across all Government departments to make them happen.

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“This new way of integrating the NI Government better into place-based transformation could be piloted for a limited time and be assessed as part of Derry City and Strabane District Council’s current Inclusive Strategic Growth Plan providing rigorous evaluation of our approach to date.

“We believe this approach could be the key to unlocking some of the biggest challenges and for addressing some of the major issues in the Moor DEA and beyond.”

In terms of implementation, the Test and Learn Strategic Partnership Group and Community Anchors will play “central roles in driving the Prospectus forward over the next ten years”.

“[They will work] collaboratively with key service providers and the community to ensure the successful implementation of the Prospectus.

“They will: develop fully costed proposals covering each of the Thematic Areas (inclusive of revenue and capital); ‘Community Proof’ full proposals with Moor DEA residents through active engagement; develop an Implementation Plan to monitor and review progress; and support and encourage joined up ‘Purposeful Partnerships’ working together, to progress the Prospectus.

“[They will also] provide a welcoming environment which encourages all stakeholders to get involved; review progress in taking forward the Moor Investment Prospectus; communicate the progress of the Prospectus with the wider community; and organise an annual review of the Investment Prospectus with key stakeholders.”

The full 'Moor Investment Prospectus' can be read HERE.